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I really enjoy doing DIY projects, and I love finding ways to get my kids involved. One of our new favorites is making jewelry with UV resin. It's a great way to get creative, and the results are always beautiful.
Recently, my daughter's friend turned 8 years old. We wanted to give her something unique and special for her birthday, so we decided to make her a necklace and a color-changing keychain. I searched online for the best all-inclusive starter kit for us. I was drawn to the kits that used UV resin because they didn't require mixing two reagents together like epoxy, so I was hopeful that would reduce the messes and avoid bubbles during the process.
The jewelry kit I decided on included everything we needed to make the jewelry, including the resin, the UV lamp, the molds, and some cute embellishments. We started by choosing some dried flowers and fern to use on the necklace. Then, we followed the instructions on the kit to add the layers of resin and flowers and cured with the UV lamp. It was so much easier than I expected and was surprised by how quick the process was!
It only took a few minutes for the resin to cure, and we were amazed at how beautiful it was. The flowers and fern were perfectly preserved in the resin, and the necklace had a clear, glossy finish. We also tried our hand at making another necklace with chunky purple glitter inside the resin. It turned out so great!
We also made a color-changing keychain. We mixed the resin from the kit with white glitter and a thermochromic pigment I purchased online that changes from blue to purple at 72 degrees Fahrenheit. We filled the leaf-shaped mold with the resin and cured under the UV light. We added the keychain ring that came with the kit and had a great time testing it's color changing properties.
My daughter's friend loved her jewelry. Her parents reported back that she put on her flower necklace the next day and sighed, "I love this necklace." We were so happy that we were able to make something special for her.
The Science of UV Resin
UV resin works by a process called photopolymerization. Photopolymerization is a chemical reaction that is initiated by light. In the case of UV resin, the light that initiates the reaction is ultraviolet light. Ultraviolet light has a wavelength of between 10 and 400 nanometers. This wavelength is shorter than visible light, but longer than X-rays.
When UV light hits a photoinitiator, it excites the electrons in the photoinitiator molecule. These excited electrons then jump to a higher energy level. When they fall back to their original energy level, they release energy in the form of heat or light. This energy is what causes the free radicals to form.
The free radicals then react with the monomers and oligomers in the UV resin, forming a polymer network. This polymer network is what gives UV resin its strength and durability.
Happy crafting!
UV resin kits are a great way to get started with UV resin crafting. They are easy to use and can be used to create a variety of jewelry pieces. With a little practice, you will be able to create beautiful and unique jewelry pieces that will last for years to come.
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